If you hear someone say one thing then hear someone else say the complete opposite both with conviction and strong beliefs who are you meant to believe? Journalists are held to a strict, traditional code of ethics when it comes to reporting stories and issues especially those that have a serious impact on the rest of the public, including climate change and the threat it poses. In todays turbulent global media journalists are faced with the challenge of reporting what the public need to hear and what the public want to hear. Journalists are often forced to compromise their principles and ethics in a sacrifice to compete in the global media market. The rise of the blogosphere and internet reporting has opened the door to pretty much any citizen journalist, allowing them to report on whatever they want however they want, this poses a threat on the traditional ethics and integrity of journalism. Will the journalistic traditions and mores that have characterized much of 20th century US news reporting carry over readily into
the new media? (Ward 2009)
Global warming and climate change is a major issue that will have a massive impact on everyones lives or so some would believe. It is an issue that has divided most of the population with many accepting it as a serious issue that must be addressed and some thinking of it as a myth. When it comes to journalism and reporting on climate change journalists have an obligation to the public to report on it truthfully and with integrity. Many journalists choose not to report seriously on climate change dismissing it as a ‘lefty theory’ with no relevance. Journalists must report on these issues based on scientific evidence not their own personal opinions and views. This practice of bias reporting is slowly changing though as the affects of global warming and climate change are continuing to impact on the world we live in.
Journalists and the mass media are also pressured by their respective governments when it comes to reporting on sensitive issues such as climate change. Governments fear that the power of the media will influence the public opinion in relation to their policies and how they are acting towards global warming. It is essential for the healthy functioning of a democracy that the media report on issues in a fair and balanced way with a variety of viewpoints and theories based on facts and evidence not on personal opinion and ideology. In today’s technological world the media is humanity’s fundamental means of communication and it must provide the general public with the proper information and scientific data especially when it comes to issues such as climate change, not brainwash the public through propaganda reporting tactics.
References
Ward,B, 2009, Journalism ethics and climate change reporting in a period of intense media uncertainty, Vol. 9: 13–15
Gavin, N, T, 2009, Addressing climate change: a media perspective, Volume 18, Issue 5
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